Employees’ motivation is a significant driver for a company’s success, which means that it is necessary to study that factors that lead to its enhancement. The selected topic is important because the analysis of culture’s influence on employees’ motivation can help organisations to understand the background for personnel’s attitudes and lead to positive changes in companies’ policies. The relation between individuals’ cultural backgrounds and their motivation can be illustrated by the following arguments.
Culture determines various aspects of employees’ personalities, some of which may not be evident at first sight. For example, Minola, Criaco, and Obschonka (2016) report that this factor may affect individuals’ patterns of psychological development. It means that, in some societies, people may mature earlier than in other ones or find motivation in different things. Ramdhani, Ramdhani, and Ainissyifa (2017) note that employees’ commitment is partially determined by perceived rewards. The implication of these findings is that companies should not expect the same level of dedication from the employees of diverse cultural backgrounds as their psychological development may affect their values differently.
Another aspect of culture’s influence on motivation is that it shapes individuals’ beliefs on wrong and right actions. For instance, Guay (2016) reports that people from collectivist cultures may value social experiences more than those born in individualist societies. In the workplace, it may mean that some employees are motivated by working in groups and interacting with their colleagues, while others are discouraged by a lack of autonomy. In addition, people from collectivist cultures are more prone to be motivated by moral and ethical factors compared to individuals from individualist societies (Adler & Gundersen, 2007). Finally, it is necessary to note that culture affects employees’ values significantly. For example, Flisak and Bjerkhage (2015) report that Chinese people’s motivation may be highly enhanced by a good salary while Swedish employees value positive relationships with managers.
The primary implication of the relationships between culture and motivation is that employers should consider the cultural factor while establishing organisational policies. Reward programs should be associated with aspects that can affect individuals’ dedication to working based on their cultural background. If a company has international subsidiaries, it is vital to develop separate policies and norms for each organisation based on their locations. In addition, it is crucial for managers not to assume what motivates employees as their perceptions may be biased due to their personal cultural experiences. Companies should collect individuals’ feedback on factors that enhance or decrease their dedication and loyalty and develop regulations based on the findings. It is also necessary for employers not to interpret employees’ actions based on their own opinions solely as it may lead to misjudgement. In summary, culture has a significant impact on people’s motivation and it is vital to consider this factor while developing organisational policies. Due to this factor, employees may have different opinions on what is right and wrong, as well as on values and rewards. It is vital to consider the culture’s effect on motivation while establishing international subsidiaries.
References
Adler, N. J., & Gundersen, A. (2007). International dimensions of organizational behaviour (5th ed.). Mason, OH: Thomson South-Western.
Flisak, D., & Bjerkhage, T. (2015). How culture affects the motivation of employees. A study in differences motivation between Swedish and Chinese employees. Web.
Guay, F. (2016). The virtue of culture in understanding motivation at school: Commentary on the special issue on culture and motivation. British Journal of Educational Psychology, 86(1), 154-160.
Minola, T., Criaco, G., & Obschonka, M. (2016). Age, culture, and self-employment motivation. Small Business Economics, 46(2), 187-213.
Ramdhani, A., Ramdhani, M. A., & Ainissyifa, H. (2017). Conceptual framework of corporate culture influenced on employees commitment to organization. International Business Management, 11(3), 826-830.